Outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie has delivered a powerful message to staff, urging them to fight for their journalism as the corporation faces a potential $1 billion lawsuit from former US President Donald Trump.
Leadership Exodus Amid Mounting Pressure
During an all-staff call on Monday, November 10, Davie announced his resignation while expressing pride in BBC journalists and their incredibly important work. The departing chief cited multiple reasons for stepping down, including the relentless nature of the role, political pressure following the controversial Panorama documentary about Trump, and the upcoming charter renewal process.
Davie emphasized that the BBC must control its own narrative rather than allowing it to be dictated by enemies of the organization. His resignation comes alongside that of BBC News chief Deborah Turness, both following criticism over how Trump's speech was edited for the Panorama program.
Trump's Billion-Dollar Ultimatum
The corporation now faces a Friday deadline issued by Trump's legal team, who are demanding:
- A full and fair retraction of the Panorama documentary
- An immediate public apology
- Appropriate compensation for damages
- Removal of all false and defamatory statements
Failure to comply will result in a $1 billion lawsuit against the BBC, according to Trump's attorney. The legal letter specifically targets what it calls false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements about the former president.
Controversial Editing Sparks Backlash
The Panorama episode that triggered the legal threat included a edited clip that appeared to show Trump telling supporters he would walk with them to the Capitol and urging them to fight like hell. However, critics noted that these quotes were taken from different parts of his speech, approximately 50 minutes apart, and the edit excluded Trump's call for protesters to demonstrate peacefully.
The timing of the broadcast - just one week before the US election - intensified scrutiny of the editorial decisions. Trump has accused the BBC of attempting to influence the presidential election outcome.
As staff shouted questions about the pending legal action during the meeting, Davie attempted to reassure employees, stating: These times are difficult for the BBC, but they get through them. We will get through it.
Both departing leaders accepted responsibility for the controversy, with Davie stating he must take ultimate responsibility and Turness acknowledging that the buck stops with her. However, outside BBC headquarters, Turness rejected accusations of bias, firmly stating that BBC journalists are not corrupt.
This represents the latest in a series of challenges Davie has faced since his appointment in 2020, including the 2021 Martin Bashir scandal involving deceptive practices to secure the Princess Diana interview. The combination of the Panorama controversy and mounting political pressure ultimately led to his decision to step down.
